Monday, July 25, 2011
Journal #4: "One Size Never Fits All"
Courduff, J. (2011). One size never fits all. Learning & Leading with Technology, 38(8), Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20110607?pg=18&pm=2&fs=1#pg18
[NETS 1, II, IV, V]
I was blown away from this article because of its message
and overall outcome. As a future special education, myself and all other
educators have the same goal. To find alternative ways of getting our students
to succeed in spite of challenges they face in the academic setting. As a new
teacher this lofty goal seems overwhelming at times. I loved reading the short
anecdotes of students who suddenly flourished once they were introduced to
assistive technology and found creative ways to release their creativity. It
inspired me to know that it is possible to positively change the academic lives
of our students and give them the confidence to continue to learn that all
children should have.
Q: What do we do with students who challenge the authority
to try traditional methods such as writing with pen and paper?
A: A hybrid technique is a must in this situation. I refer
back to the article when I answer this question and the example of Shannon. The
teacher first allowed her to get her thoughts into story and narration format
on the computer. Then using this tool as support she was able to go back and
write the story long hand to continue to practice her writing skills. The
difference was that she now felt confident enough to try to his without feeling
the anxiety and frustration she must have experienced before using this
technique. It is our obligation as teacher’s to find ways for our students to
complete their assignments that meet the standards necessary in order to succeed
and continue to grow as a student. I like to look at it this way: we are
teaching the traditional methods of learning with a new “twist” on the method.
Technology takes us away from traditional a – b- c method which can be a change
that is uncomfortable for some teachers, but if it helps our students, why not
give it a try?
Q: How do we find ways to bring this technology to all
classrooms?
It is obvious to me that the wish all teachers have to bring
creativity and technology to all classrooms should be a given, in reality it is
never that easy. It starts from the top – and unfortunately the “top” is
usually where they are cutting programs and funding for education rather then
finding ways to keep it and increase it. Instead, it really falls into the hands
of each individual teacher. Technology can be simple and it can be complicated.
We may not all have the funding for some of the more complicated or expensive
tech gadgets, but if a teacher has access to a computer that she can share with
her students, she can start to make a difference. Some forms of assistive
technology (AT) don’t even require a computer. For some students, it might mean
letting them illustrate their story first instead of writing it. Once they have
the pictures in a storybook format, they can go back and write captions to
accompany them. Its all about finding the “twist” that I wrote about above that
leads to the same outcome – a student accomplishes the assignment successfully.
Journal #3: Abracadabra–It's Augmented Reality!
Raphael, R. (2011). Abracadabra-it's augmented reality!. Learning & Leading with Technology,38(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2011.aspx
[NETS 1, II, III]
Journal #3:
“Abracadabra—It’s Augmented Reality”
The funny is, when I started reading this article I was
clueless what the term “augmented reality,” meant. I quickly realized though,
as the author Raphael started pointing out examples, that I did know what AR
is, and I had seen examples of it in real life. Most notably, that pesky
“yellow line” that appears on the screen during football games. The idea of
incorporating AR into the classroom setting with my future students is an
exciting prospect, if not a little overwhelming to think about. One of the best
features of this article is the in-depth look at Zooburst that Raphael treats
the reader too. He makes it sound so easy to use, but my brain immediately
starts to think, is this really doable for a novice tech teacher? I assume like
anything else, if I can find the
time to learn the program, it
would go a long way in enhancing the way any student, but especially students
in special education learn.
Q: What do you think about the fine line between access and
privacy as related to the portion of the article entitled “Social
Networks?”
A: Another interesting topic of interest related to this
article corresponds with topic of social networks. Soon, if not already,
Raphael points out that with the flick of a wrist, we will be able to point our
phones at another human being and pull up their FB status, recent tweets, etc.
I always feel like this type of access is a catch 22. We want to be able to
connect with the human race at the touch of a button, but more important to me
is the privacy we lose from this simple action. I like the idea of being able
to keep this information public for professional reasons, such as connecting
electronically with other schools and classrooms, but it also makes me think my
students as well as my own personal accounts and how we lose our privacy if
anyone can just look us up by walking by. There has to be a balance, more like
settings, that keep the students safe, while gaining knowledge from these
tools.
Q: How would this technology help students in special
education?
I see this being a tool that bridges the gap for students
who have a hard time sitting and putting pen to paper day after day as they
learn to build on writing and storytelling. It could be motivation to start the
writing process by mapping out their thoughts and then transferring and molding
their story using the techniques accessed in Zooburst. Once a teacher is
proficient in the material, the prospect of using this type of technology could
go hand in hand with the daily learning calendar and be a true education
changer in the way students in special education process and retain what they
are learning, as well as their interactions in a classroom setting.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Journal #2: Join the Flock
Ferguson, H. (2010). Join the flock. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2011.aspx
[NETS III, IV]
I love the underlying simplicity in this article. Hadley
Ferguson does a wonderful job of explaining what a PLN is and really gives
novice tech users piece of mind when it comes to diving into new internet
experiences. I had previous experience using twitter before starting this class
but I think if I was brand new to the site this summer it will feel a bit
overwhelming considering the amount of knowledge we are learning in a very
short period of time. After reading this article it was calming to take a step
a back and remember that I can use twitter in many different ways, taking “baby
steps” as I become more comfortable with the site. Ferguson relayed lots of
useful information from relevant hashtags to some of the pertinent educators
she follows. Twitter can be fun and informative if you learn the tips of the
trade. The best thing about it is realizing you can tweak to your taste so you
don’t feel overwhelmed with information you don’t want or need.
Q: What ways can Twitter be used to connect class members
who might not otherwise work together?
If the class has access to computers in the classroom, use
Twitter as a means of mediating group discussions. I think this could be a fun
and functional way to evolve a whole class discussion (like we did in class
with the question about our favorite children’s book) or assign groups to chat
using a hashtag so every member can participate. This will include the kids who
might normally be to shy to raise their hand and give students who need to time
to think before they construct their answer a few added moments of thought
before they have to respond. This type of discussion will bring together
students who might not otherwise work well together or bring together different
personalities and get them away from the “clique” of friends they prefer to
work with all the time.
Q: Im still overwhelmed from the information/tweets I am
receiving. What can I do to change this?
I would refer back to Ferguson’s beginner steps of learning
to minimize what you receive by only “looking” at first before you take bigger
steps to visualize yourself in the Twitter world. If you originally followed a
lot of people go back and take a look at their profile’s and see if you really
find what they tweet to be pertinent to your interests. Also, if you are using
Twitter for work as well as personally, it might be a good idea like Ferguson
did to set up more than one account so you aren’t mixing business with
pleasure. It is easier and more pleasant to tweet and retweet when your tweet
stream isn’t so congregated with mixed messages. Cleaning up your stream helps
streamline your thoughts. If you are at school, don’t check your personal
account because chances are you won’t have a lot of time to respond and it will
only distract you.
Monday, July 18, 2011
School 2.0: Technology Self Assessment
School 2.0 is a reflection tool that allows educators to answer a questionnaire designed to help you reflect
on your skills in technology and gives you a good idea of how well and how often you integrate technology into the classroom. For new and seasoned teachers this is a great way to get ideas for creating lessons using technology and gives educators a way of keeping track of strengths and weaknesses using technology in the classroom. The best part? It lists many great links to resources for technology that can easily be incorporated into daily lessons. [NETS-T II, V]
My School 2.0 screen shot
Reflection results for NETS-T Module: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
3. I engage students in reflecting on and clarifying their own thinking, planning, and creative processes, in correcting misconceptions, and in using meta-cognitive thinking strategies with collaborative tools and environments.
I chose to focus on this particular section because I love to learn and explore sites that will help students find different routes of being creative in the classroom. For me, my weakness is art. I love it, but I don't have an artistic bone in my body. I am the girl that relies on stick fingers when it comes to sketching and my best form of coloring is using a crayon to stay inside the lines! ha! I am quickly lowering my artistic stress though, because I am realizing there are many ways to express your little or big artistic abilities and creativity. "Creating Art All Together Now" by Google is way of bringing a new perspective to art by using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. The best part....the finished masterpieces can be displayed with an "online art show," something that could be displayed on an overhead, (ex: during parents night).
Keep in mind it doesn't always have to be about art. Going back to the standards, I loved the resources attached to this sections because they allow for creative strategies that can be applied to any subject. Google Groups would be a social, interactive way of chatting and discussing school related subjects and finding a connection with students from various cultures. (another way of forming a multicultural classroom). The similarities, differences, and new ideas will bring fresh air into what might have been a limiting or stale discussion. Google groups is also handy for uploading files, getting rid of those pesky storage drives and a teacher could ask students to upload docs here to save paper!
iCollaboratory would be a great way to teach students how to work together well on group projects. There are always students who want to work by themselves but its important to be able to work in groups because it won't be the last time both in school and at work that we have to collaborate with each other to make a better finished product! iCollaboratory is a wonderful tool to connect with group members, teach responsibility, and see how all group members are participating. This site also works with Moodle which we am learning about in ED 422.
Journal #1: 100 things that make me happy :)
in no particular order....
1. my husband Adam
2. my twin sister Vanessa (V)
3. the family crew: mom, dad, aunt, & best in-laws ever!!
4. my dog Oliver (better known as Ollie, dog, sweet face, doodle bug and about a million other ridiculous names that Adam and I have made up for him)
5. wedding
6. honeymoon in Italy
7. our house
8. Apple stores & products (aesthetically pleasing!)
9. green apples w/ crunchy peanut butter
10. traveling
11. swimming
12. tennis
13. getting flowers
14. date night
15. watching The Big Bang Theory
16. sushi
17. hiking
18. watching SD Padres baseball games
19. iPhone 4
20. king bed
21. flowers
22. my monthly magazine subscriptions
23. soft clean sheets
24. boating
25. flip flops
26. salad
27. cheese-less pizza
28. volunteering with the SD Humane Society
29. organizing
30. baking
31. the beach
32. warm weather/the sun
33. diet pepsi
34. sparkling lemon water
35. the Westie Rescue of CA
36. Taco Surf in PB
37. seeing a movie on opening night
38. movie popcorn
39. broadway plays
40. Dave Matthews Band
41. scrapbooking
42. hot showers
43. wireless anything :)
44. bare feet on shag carpet
45. palm trees
46. laughing so hard my cheeks hurt
47. the Eiffel Tower
48. girls night
49. Wine Steals
50. Facebook
51. Twitter
52. email
53. my friend Tommy & Jen's artwork
54. watching our dog Ollie splash in the pool
55. recycling
56. Starbucks black ice tea
57. chocolate croissants
58. freshly picked lemons
59. days when everything goes right. :)
60. being productive
61. working out
62. the smell of the ocean
63. fresh cut green grass
64. air conditioning
65. big comfy sweatshirts
66. Dammit by Blink-182
67. tea with honey on a cold day
68. getting my passport stamped
69. watching Rookie Blue
70. when my husband and I talk in funny voices to each other & giggle at ourselves
71. our Ketubah
72. working/volunteering with kids
73. eating junk food at the Del Mar Fair
74. riding roller coasters & screaming :)
75. getting a tan in the summer
76. food carts in Portland
77. Seal Beach
78. being an identical twin (you always have someone to play with!)
79. graduating & receiving my bachelor's degree
80. curly fries
81. farmers markets
82. San Diego Chargers
83. visiting family & friends in Winnipeg Canada
84. boating
85. fresh grip on a tennis a racket
86. spending hours browsing in bookstores
86. public libraries
87. free shipping
88. sour gummy worms
89. Whole Foods
90. Encinitas village
91. Ono Sushi in Hillcrest (first date with my husband)
92. my Toyota Prius
93. Sunday afternoon drives with the top down
94. finding packages at my front door
95. lots of crushed ice in my drink (you take it for granted until you go to Europe!)
96. post it notes
97. taking pictures
98. cutting coupons & saving money
99. getting pampered at a spa
100. when my husband calls just to say hi :)
Monday, July 11, 2011
Hi, I'm Michelle!
I am a San Diego native! Born and raised in SD, I went through school out in the east county. For those familiar with the area, I attended K-6 at Fuerte Elementary, 7th grade at Emerald Junior High, 8th grade at Hillsdale Middle School, and high school at Valhalla (V-H-S Norseman!) I went to Grossmont College for a year after high school as a business major, before deciding it wasn't for me. I spent the next 5 years working and figuring out what I wanted to do with my life.....teach! I went back in 2006 and spent 2 years at Mesa College before transferring to San Diego State. I just graduated and received my bachelor's degree this past spring in Liberal Studies and will start the Special Ed. credential program at San Marcos this fall. A little bit about me....I am an identical twin, and currently connect with my twin sis through a variety of technology (Google voice, Skype, email, facebook, twitter) while she is living in Switzerland! Its hard being away from her so Im super thankful that it is so easy to connect across an ocean! I have been married to my wonderful husband Adam for almost 3 years, and we are currently parents to our 4-legged child, Ollie, a west highland terrier (westie)....and yes, we are those crazy dog people. ha! I like to hike, take Ollie to dog beach, play tennis and swim, volunteer with the San Diego Humane Society, go out for sushi and love going to the movies.
As I mentioned, I do use a variety of technology to communicate with my sister so I am familiar with the computer and social networking. I do have a personal blog, that I am horrible at updating, so Im hoping this class renews my motivation to post some new material. I mostly post about our life in SD to keep friends and family out of town in the loop. I love the computer, but feel like I still have much to learn so Im very excited about this class! I am an avid Apple fan, and made the switch when I started school again about 6 years ago. My husband and I like to joke that we keep Apple in business...anyone else feel like that? I try to draw the line with how much time I sit in front of the computer/play on my phone! Its easy to be sucked in!....and yes Im still trying to figure out where the line is...maybe when I start go go cross-eyed :) So to sum up this paragraph, I heart my computer.
I really connect with the Mission Statement when it talks about "educational equity and social justice." Every student deserves a chance at a fair and free education. Unfortunately we all know in reality that life isn't fair. It is my goal, and hope, that as future teachers, we give our students every opportunity to succeed. We must hold the bar up high for them, and stand up for them, when they cannot speak for themselves. CSUSM is very different from San Diego State. I really like the feel of a smaller, friendly community from what I have seen so far in my interview, on campus and from our first class meeting. I know I made the right choice when I decided to accept an invitation to the credential program at San Marcos.
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